Of Paths to Repentance
by Kanarah J
Summary: With the frayed edges of compromise mended, Cloud and Leon have finally met a commonplace. Seifer however doesn't approve of the change. Sequel to ACoV CL
1. The Commonplace

Hello again! This is Kanarah J reporting for duty...so to speak. Thank you to all the endearing reviews that have been sent my way (for A Curtain of Violet) and folks, the trite little prolegomena has been recovered, reconstituted and is coming at you: I love all the feedback I've been getting and I do hope that this story holds up to the stature of the other one. Yes, this is a sequel of sorts, but I suppose you could understand the general plot without reading A Curtain of Violet previously. (Though I implore that you do for all my selfish review-hunting-greed)

I would love to summarize what happened, but I've taken up entirely too much space with the author's note, however if so beseeched, I'll include one later...maybe (or perhaps you could just read A Curtain of Violet and submit billions of reviews!)

As always, I don't own a thing except for the plot, so on with it!

The bickering had been left behind. The days of childish arguments from elementary school, middle school, and even highschool had stopped almost completely after the first few months of College. During the time that Leon and Cloud had lived together in the dorms, the two had managed to establish a common ground, an equal space of understanding and tolerance. They had become more interested in getting along rather than causing the small wars that had popped up quite frequently in their shaky beginning.

Now Cloud took Leon into consideration before tossing his dirty laundry across the room to the hamper into which he rarely scored. He never forgot to lock the doors before leaving and he turned his radio down when Leon was trying to sleep. With these new feelings of respect, he began to notice points about Leon's personality. He always knew that Leon was the Chief Executive of clean-living, but Cloud also noticed him carrying out his position _absently._ He would straiten random objects that Cloud never even knew were out of place. A few times he offered to help, but Leon would never know what he was talking about.

And when Leon was depressed, or upset, he would chew his lip nervously for a time, then mutter something about going for a walk. He would never go out for very long, but when he returned, he would always be in a better mood.

Cloud liked watching Leon sometimes. He would sit on his bed and pretend to read, but really, he was watching Leon scurry around the room tidying up. He smiled—when Leon wasn't looking of course—at the small knit in his brow that formed when he was thinking hard, or at the veil of hair that spilled over his shoulder when he bent down—undoubtedly picking something up off the floor. Sometimes he would go as far as chuckle at the scolding he received when he had done...anything really. He would listen as Leon went on and on, occasionally using his hands to further convey his point. Though it used to irritate Cloud, now he took it as Leon's sort of bizarre form of caring...maybe.

On the other side, Leon had started to appreciate Cloud's company more. Before, Cloud's very existence seemed to set off a certain irritation within him, but now he could carry on a conversation with him without getting angry. Leon even tried to be thoughtful of Cloud before going off onto one of his rants. He would struggle to stay silent to the _small_ messes Cloud left throughout the dorm (and straiten them up himself later on.) He would limit his complaints and try to remember he was only human. As his final act of consideration, when the time came—nothing was perfect—he voluntarily addressed his problems with Cloud's errors with calm explanation. Leon even found this method to be better than the yelling he was used to. Cloud would even apologize sometimes. With that, the warfare was stopped before it even started. Cloud was indeed a very agreeable person when he wanted to be.

On top of being agreeable, Leon found Cloud to be a lot less barbaric than the image he had created of him during the days of their battle-scared youth. He was as simple as he was complicated and as thoughtful as he was inconsiderate. In fact, Cloud showed the signs of having the complex mental state of individuals that possessed intelligence. This Leon found, was a break in all the notions he had conjured up before they had started getting along. He wanted to know more about the individual that he apparently had known nothing about up until now.

However, through this time of peace, He did manage to learn a few things about Cloud through inconspicuous observation, like how Cloud hated tea with lemon, and would only drink it with sugar. And anyone could see that Cloud hated cleaning more than criminals hated prosecuting attorneys. When asked to attend to one of the big messes he had left behind, Cloud would eventually get around to it, but would take quite a bit of nagging, and all the while Cloud would mutter his disdain of the whole idea of straitening something that would more than likely get mussed up again.

Cloud also had the absurd habit of eating cereal with a fork. Not that he would intentionally grab the wrong eating utensil, but he would eat with whichever one he happened to grab unless otherwise brought to his attention. After scarfing down his breakfast—as he always left with the bare minimum of time to get to class—he would sprint to the classroom barely avoiding the tardy bell. Leon would wonder in earnest why anyone would want to go through all the trouble, but after considering whom he was thinking about, it all made perfect sense.

Early morning in the Cafeteria was always quiet and sparsely populated. It was here that Cloud was sitting with his text book wide open studying in haste for a test. As he usually liked to leave—rather _get up—_at a much later time, this whole experience was new for him. Still, this test was important, and according to Leon, studying was far more crucial than sleeping.

"How goes the studying?"

"I'm going to fail."

"Oh," Leon said, slipping the fork out of Cloud's hand and replacing it with a spoon before sitting down. "You've got a bit more time, maybe you can remember some of it..."

Cloud looked questioningly at the new utensil in his hand, shrugged and plunged int into his cereal. "Why aren't you studying?"

"I have been...all week."

Cloud leaned so far back in his chair it was in danger of tipping over. "I can't believe this...!"

"I hate to say it..."

"Then don't."

Leon shrugged. "We had a week's notice you know."

"Yeah, I know. I just got..."

"Distracted?"

"Right."

"Well, I'd better let you get back to your...endeavors. Bell rings in about five minutes."

"What!"

"Sorry."

Cloud slammed the book closed and stood to leave. "This really isn't fair."

"I know."

"Don't be so smug."

Leon flashed a small smile. "We'd better get going, or we're going to be late."


	2. Of Notification

Hello all. Ah, not as happy with the review count, it makes me the teeniest bit reluctant to update...nah. However, I did find some rather encouraging tidbits. I've ben uploaded into two different C2 networks, and I must say the collection in which I was put under was remarkable! I'm not so much happy about my own additions, but rather the chance to read other works by fabulous authors! I'm really excited. I wish I could have created some of those wonderful ideas!

To those of you who did review (I wish I could mention all of you by name, but that blasted new rule limits the personality in my thank-you's) I love you all! (The last three people listed on my review list for this story...there, I did it.) Anyway, I hope you enjoy the next installment... yeah.

The final bell had wrung, the class had started. Even still, Cloud—among others—was tearing through his notebook absorbing as much information as possible before the professor walked in. In the quiet rustling of notebook pages came the unmistakable sound of stiff, high heels hitting the floor tiles.

She was a short woman, but her strict classroom policies more than made up for her lack in stature. Her glasses hung low on the bridge of her nose , as if disappointment in her class came as a standard. She arched her lip in annoyance as she glanced around the room, scanning for students still trying to cram in those last few history dates. As she found that most were, she opened her desk drawer for a rather large stack of papers.

"The test, as you know, is today." She said curving her lips into a displeased frown. "Clear your desks."

Cloud reluctantly slid his books and notes under his chair and sank back into the seat. "I'm gonna fail...I'm gonna fail," He sighed. The small packet of papers landed softly on his desk, ridden with test questions he would certainly not be able to answer...

Leon glanced over at Cloud with a feeling of curiosity and pity. Cloud really did try to pull himself together to be successful, but sometimes the delinquent inside of him was the stronger of the two forces. He wondered what Cloud would become if it weren't for his laziness; probably a very successful man. As it was however, it seemed almost as if Cloud would never grow up to be that person.

As the test slid in front of Leon, he smiled internally. Even with all his flaws, Leon did like Cloud for the way he was. It was a strange sort of comfortable security that made him what he was. When Leon wanted to relax or calm down a bit from the stress of the day, he would look at Cloud and his tensionless ways of breezing through life and instantly feel a certain ease. It was Cloud in fact who was helping get through those rough times when he spent days on end ghosting around campus. Cloud would always be there when he returned home to offer consonance and a shoulder to cry on. It was this sort of understanding, and principal caring that made him happy for all Cloud's quirkiness.

Cloud was scribbling in answers like a madman for the first fifteen minutes, but as time wore on, he was ready to accept defeat. From the quiet moans and frustrated flips of paper, Cloud was aware that he wasn't alone in this boat of test failure. In the front of the room, the professor sat reading a novel, occasionally glancing up to make sure no cheating was occurring. Down and around he could also see a few sporadically placed students that could confidently say they would pass the test. Leon was one of them.

It was a little frustrating how these choice people could breeze through this class as if it were a sailing ship, while others struggled to get the motor started. Cloud wondered how people like Leon could possibly find the patience to study the material in advance. It took Cloud all his effort and some of Leon's to get up that morning to cram a little. Still, those unlike the majority of the student body couldn't be blamed as it was the right choice... just not the most interesting.

Leon was always so perfect about school. All the way back in elementary Cloud was sure Leon had never gotten a bad mark. He was the teacher's favorite protege and everyone else's point of envy. Seemingly someone so sound would be able to stand against the antagonism of children jeering jealously at his intelligence, but with Leon, that was not at all the case.

Leon was the shy quiet type who stood off alone on the side of the black top so as not to raise conflict. He never said much, but that was mainly because not much was ever said to him. After elementary school though, being alone never seemed to bother him, as Cloud found that Leon preferred to do things without the possibility of others doing an inefficient job. These feelings probably spawned from the memories of elementary. Still though, in the beginning, Cloud could tell that Leon hated being by himself.

As Cloud was in the young stages of his life, he was the popular one who got the most attention. Contradictory, he was a bit modest in his personality. He wasn't a show off, but rather got along with most people due to his personal magnetism, thus crowing him as the king of popularity. With Leon at the bottom of the social scale and Cloud at the top, these conditions automatically raised the story-book setting for conflict.

Cloud had found through experimentation that he really just liked to _mess_ with Leon. More out of curiosity than meanness. He didn't beat him up or publically embarrass him like the other children, he just liked to see how far he could push things. He would wait until the two of them were alone and calmly ask him questions like "Why are you so smart?" or "Why don't you act like everyone else?" Leon, thinking Cloud was just trying to make fun of him had hated every second of these interviews. By the time he had gotten through a few of those un-responded to questions, Leon would be quite upset, and then in turn raise the attention of the other little kids who weren't as tactful as Cloud, and ultimately succeed Cloud's playful banter into cruelty and mockery.

Through this cycle, inevitably came the times when the cruelty would make Leon cry. These were the moments Cloud regretted even confronting Leon in the first place. Nothing in the world made him feel as guilty as when Leon cried. Even way back then, when Leon's cries went unnoticed by everyone else, to Cloud, Leon's feelings were as noticeable as a coffee stain on linen.

Minutes ticked by, and Cloud was running out of things to think about. Just as he decided his best occupant of time would be to catch up on those lost few minutes of sleep, he felt it.

had he not noticed it before? Or had it just occurred? Either way, it was identifiable the second the uneasiness settled within his bones. Shifting his gaze so as not to look obvious, he confirmed his affliction. Seifer was staring at him.

There, it's all said and done. Please don't hesitate to read and review!


	3. A Few Words

Hello there, and thank you all for the lovely reviews! I'm so glad I received more this time! Oh yes, thanks to the advice of one of my new reviewers, I guess I'll continue to post my personal thank-you's! (If I get in trouble for this, it'll be your head...hahaha!)

**Kandrisia**-Thank you so much for the lovely review, I appreciate the compliment!

**XO'MagicMoon'OX**-Thank you for noticing my literary devices. I've always tried to make my writing as 'visual' as possible, and I really hope that it's working at least somewhat...

**Hanae da Firefly-**Yes, thanks so much for pointing out those flaws. I should definitely proof read much better, I've been slacking off lately! Pah, no excuses! I'm contradicting my own Bio over here. (I still can't get the darn thing to work right...) As for chapter interest, It's mainly for those who haven't read AcoV yet, but things should be moving on soon...probably...

**Aquila Strife-**Ah, good to hear from you again! Your reviews are always so...expressive! Hah! Thank you very, very much!

Alright, on with the chapter. I don't own a thing but my simple little plot!

* * *

Cloud knew it was coming, in fact he was a bit surprised that it had taken this long. Since that day when all was exposed, He had been very reluctant to resume contact with his childhood friend, and naturally, Seifer would want to know why. 

Cloud just hadn't gotten around to talking with Seifer as of yet, mainly because he was still trying to establish Leon's well being. Since the moment of admittance, Cloud had dedicated himself to ensuring Leon's happiness. However, now that things were relatively stable between them, he still never found the motivation to officially break things off with Seifer. They had seen each other the in the halls and other places around campus, but Cloud still never brought himself to approach—much less talk to—the monster that had train-wrecked Leon's life.

He shifted his eyes to the side again, and Seifer was indeed still staring, as if Cloud and he were the only two in the room. He wanted his point to be known, no matter how uncomfortable it made Cloud or how peculiar it made him look. His eyes were narrowed, unblinking and punctuated with deeply arched eyebrows. His head rested in the heel of his palm, and his mouth was drawn in an indefinite—but still very expressive—frown.

Seifer was indisputably angry, Cloud thought to himself, and who wouldn't be? Realistically, Seifer had every right to be at least somewhat het-up, since Cloud had completely avoided him. In fact, Cloud couldn't remember speaking a single word to Seifer since he had Left Leon and he in the hall.

However, in Cloud's mind, Seifer could just sit and dwell in his own anger, for anyone who could commit such an appalling crime—whether he remembered it or not—didn't deserve to be spoken to. Cloud had always known Seifer to be rather difficult to control at times, but going too far was going too far. Even still, contact had to be made at some point, so that both parties would understand why the friendship had ended, and as an added bonus Cloud would be able to go to sleep at night knowing that Seifer wouldn't be able to.

He sighed in frustration as the thought crossed his mind. What if it wasn't as easy as he had hoped? Seifer was still his best friend. Would leaving him behind so quickly really be as casual as he wanted it would be? They had been inseparable ever since their younger days of ranging the black top. Seifer had been the mischievous, ornery one, while Cloud was the one who was reasonable, yet sometimes equally as delinquent. Collectively they created the pair known to the entire neighborhood as a force to be aware of. Quite an original duo actually.

Most of their childhood had been spent together. From watching movies at Cloud's house to chasing ants with a flashlight and magnifying glass in Seifer's back yard. They had always found a reason to do activities jointly. When they had first met, Cloud was a but put off by Seifer's forwardness and Seifer had never really appreciated Cloud's "golden-boy" personality, but inevitably, the two managed to reach a cadence in which perfect harmony was achieved.

As much fun as their days together had been, there came the introduction to maturity and a sudden change of pace that Cloud hadn't paid much attention to in it's progression. Now, as he was standing outside of their friendship, Cloud couldn't believe he hadn't seen it coming. The innocent, ostentatiousness typical to Seifer during their childhood had grown up into the helter-skelter delinquence of adulthood. Then came the love of alcohol and parties. Cloud had never known Seifer to be down right _evil_ but somehow the shift of fun pranks to surprising cruelty had been made.

Even still, Cloud would never have guessed that Seifer would have thrown him a curve ball as huge as this one. Never had Seifer done anything as unforgivable as...rape. The thought of Seifer committing the crime and the thought of never speaking to him again made Cloud a little hesitant with either decision.

He gnawed on the edge of his eraser in thought. And what would Leon think if he had just resumed the friendship that had lasted so long? He peered down a few rows to look at the brunette. He was sitting reviewing his answers. Knowing how he was, Leon in all likelihood wouldn't say anything, but would probably second-guess the promise Cloud had made to him that night. He definitely wouldn't appreciate his feelings being ill-considered.

Leon's feelings weren't something Cloud could take lightly, not that he ever did, but they were far more delicate than Cloud had realized. They were complicated and fragile, but still in the same respect beautiful in a way that Cloud would never want to disrupt them. If he resumed his connection with Seifer, he risked hurting the one person he promised never to hurt, and that simply would not do.

"Man..." Cloud murmured. What was he to do? The choice should have been obvious, but it certainly was not.

The professor adjusted her glasses and peered up to check the clock that hung over her desk. She then stood and arched a brow at the still scribbling students—all but Cloud who had given up long ago—and cleared her throat.

"All right, time is up, please hand in your tests on your way out the door." There was a touch of disappointment within her voice, as if she knew exactly who would fail and who would pass. The numbers weren't pretty.

A collective groan rang through the room with the shifting of books and papers. Most were reluctant to take the test in the first place and they were now just as reluctant to hand it in.

As one of these grudging students, Cloud squeezed himself from his desk, shouldering his pack and deciding not to even think about his inevitable failure on the test, when he felt Seifer's looming presence behind him. Startled, he resisted the urge to turn around and made his way forward to hand in his test to the brown tray on the corner of the professor's desk. Seifer however was not to be ignored. He clapped a hand onto Cloud's shoulder.

"I need to see you after class."

Cloud straitened his throat hesitantly. Seeing Seifer was certainly not something he wanted to do, especially after brooding on all those thoughts during the exam."I...I can't...I have to..."

"It's important. I'll meet you in the hallway." With that he brushed past Cloud and intermixed with the wave of students filtering out the door.

The guaranteed failure on the test and the new invitation to speak to Seifer collectively sucked out all the air in the room. He would hear what Seifer had to say.

Undoubtedly nothing good... Cloud could only imagine how awful this would turn out. If the brooding he dramatized during the test held any fact to how this new confrontation would play out, then he knew he would much rather let their communication issues fester than tackle the problem head on like he was about to do now.

Straitening his shoulders, he briefly scanned the crowd of the still exiting students and immediately spotted Leon. Cloud's heart raced. His palms felt damp. If Leon caught them talking in the hall, his greatest fear might come true. Then again talking to Seifer was in some respects unavoidable the matter needed to be resolved no matter how Cloud hated having to go through with it. There had to be a way for him to handle this matter without hurting Leon in the process, preferably without Leon even finding out. "Hey...Leon." He said touching his shoulder from behind.

"Uh...hi."

"Listen, I'm gonna go...uh...grab something to eat..." He lied. "So I'll catch up with you later, alright?"

"Cloud," Leon said firmly,

"I don't have your leash. Do what you want."

"I know...I just thought I'd tell you in case...you know...you wanted me to walk you to class again or something..."

"I'll be fine, I assure you."

"Are you sure?"

"Go eat. Now."

"...Right."

He faintly caught sight of Leon shaking his head in pity before heading out the door. At least one matter was solved. Now that Leon had no reason to be suspicious, he could handle this problem without worry. He could speak with Seifer, wrap things up between them (even though he really didn't want to go through with the whole ordeal) and all would be well. A simple plan really. Still though, he felt a tad guilty about lying to Leon, like a parent telling their child his dog had run away and would soon return, when in reality it was road kill.

Seifer was leaning against a the wall, waiting with a bit of impatience Cloud observed as he approached him. In the shadows of the semi-crowded halls, his features were cool and thoughtful, but to Cloud he was quite intimidating. Just as Cloud closed the distance between them, Seifer started.

"I want to know what's going on." He said calmly.

"Not much."

"You know what I mean."

Cloud scratched the back of his head. "I'm sure I don't."

"It's been a while since we've spoken."

"I really haven't noticed."

"You're being evasive."

"What am I evading?"

Seifer acknowledged Cloud with a short sigh and folded his arms. "Me."

"...You think too much." Cloud turned to leave, hoping Seifer would let him, but Seifer caught his wrist.

"I want to know why you're avoiding me. What's the matter with you?"

"..."

There was a gap of silence that followed then Seifer folded his arms and tilted his head back in a scornful sneer. "You've...been hanging around Leon a lot lately..."

Cloud gaped, having been taken off guard for a moment. "What...what do you mean?"

"Nothing. It's just an observation." He shifted his gaze to stare at Cloud at an angle. "Why? _Should_ it mean something?"

Somehow all the degradations he was mentally giving Seifer during class earlier weren't as easy to come up with now. He felt like a child muttering snide comments under his breath, only to notice his mother had heard every word and was ready with punishment. He certainly did not like the way this conversation was going, especially if Seifer was going to drag Leon into it.

"What are you getting at?"

"Nothing."

" Then no."

"Good. For a while there I thought you guys were getting kinda friendly..."

"Do you have a problem or something?"

Seifer narrowed his eyes a little more. "As a matter of fact I do. I don't appreciate you giving me the blow off, and I don't appreciate you spending that time with Leon!"

"I really don't know what you're talking about."

"Of course not Cloud. Of course not."

"Look, if you're having some jealousy issues, then—"

"Don't confuse jealousy with anger. They're not the same thing!"

"Well whatever it is, you don't have the right to be either..." Cloud frowned."it's Leon who should be upset..."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing...I'm gonna go."

"Wait," He reached for Cloud's wrist for a second time. "Don't let that guy mess with your head Cloud."

He rolled his eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"I mean it." His eyes were fierce. "Hanging out with weirdos like that isn't good for you. You're changing."

"Seifer, I really don't have time for this," Cloud was getting a bit annoyed. Seifer clearly didn't know Leon for what he was, and his rude comments were obviously because of his lack of understanding. If he only knew what Leon was really like...then again, Cloud wasn't sure if he even wanted Seifer to know. "I've got to go." He yanked his wrist from Seifer's grip.

"Fine then." his jaw tightened in irritation. "I'll see you later." Cloud returned the scowl. "Maybe."

With that, the two stalked down the hall in opposite directions charged with anger at one another. Having had his business taken care of (meaning not dealt with at all) his communication issues with Seifer, Cloud felt he would much rather go find Leon than dwell on it any longer. With that thought having just crossed his mind, he spotted the individual in question down the hall and raced to meet up with him.

* * *

Well, there it is folks. Finally, things are beginning to come apart at the seams ne?(I'm so excited I can hardly contain myself! That's kinda sad when it's your own story... . ) It took quite a while to type this one, due to the length. It usually takes me about a week to update, but sometimes I'm a wee bit inconsistent...sorry. In any case, please read and review! 

Ja-ne!


	4. Train vs Subway

Hello! Man, I had the most wonderful weekend! I visited "Naka-Kon! (It's an anime convention for those who don't know) I had the best time! Cosplay and whatnot are extremely interesting, and it's really cool to check out other people's costumes and have those same people gawk at mine! Ha I've never had so many pictures taken of me! My twin sister (pen name: Hito me bore) was there too, and since we traveled together, we both got our moments in the sun! I can't wait to go again!

While I was there, I also purchased "Advent Children" Finally! They keep pushing back the release of the English version, but I really didn't mind the Japanese with subtitles. Besides, the English versions tend to be dubbed to death, and I like the authenticity!

Okay, now, on with the thank-you's:

**OX'MagickMoon'OX-** Thanks so much for your review! Yes, It's about time I got this thing perpetuating! Nope, Seifer is suffering from "amnesia" (alcohol induced of curse) so the big "fall out" Should be interesting...

**AquillaStrife-** No, no, I very much like your reviews! Keep them coming in all their expressive splendor! Thank you so much for sending them!

**Losthimagain-**Mmmm... "action?" do you mean _grody_ action? Hahaha! I...dunno, I haven't written a lemon in quite a while...I really don't think it fits here! Maybe that's just me. Is that what the rest of you are wanting!

**Hanae da Firefly- **Ah, I'm glad. I didn't even see the page brake button! Thanks for pointing it out for me. This is the last short chapter...for a while...I hope.

Okay, now, On with the rest of the story! I own nothing!

* * *

"Hey!" Cloud called almost excited to meet up with Leon. Leon however just acknowledged him with a turn of the head in his direction and continued walking on. Cloud wasn't discouraged at all—as Leon usually wasn't typical to show excitement—and followed him anyway. Something about the air however was a little different, he noticed.

"So..." Leon said almost casually while Cloud was deciding if something was indeed amiss. "What were you and Seifer talking about?"

"Huh?" That same feeling of cold, breathless shock from when he first told that lie smacked him in the face again. What was... how could Leon have... "But...oh...well...I wasn't..."

"You're stammering." Leon noted without changing expression.

He muttered a quick apology. "Um...I didn't think..." Cloud chewed his lip in shame. Leon had found out after all. And he thought he'd been careful. "But...how did you know?"

"Well obviously, I saw you."

"...No..."

"Yes."

"Leon..." He was in a hole now, and right next to it lay the mound of trouble waiting to fill it in with. Cloud had absolutely no idea how to get out, but he figured the best way to start was with an apology...then maybe some pathetic excuses... "I'm so sorry...We were just—"

Leon shook his head with impatience. "Save it Cloud, I have no bars on who you can and cannot talk to."

"But he...and you..."

"It really doesn't matter."

"Yes it does!"

"No, it doesn't."

"You're mad."

"Never mind, just drop it."

"You're mad."

"I said never mind!"

"Yeah...you are..." He seemed to wilt a little.

"No."

Cloud frowned. Leon's voice was underscored with disappointment, he could tell. But Leon was trying not to show it. He continued to walk along with the expression of indifference while Cloud attempted to find a way to explain himself. Leon was angry and hurt, Cloud concluded, there was no mistake. The question was what to do about it, and for that answer, Cloud was absolutely lost.

"I...don't know what to do." Almost immediately after he said it, he knew that wasn't what Leon wanted to hear at all.

"Well, I'm certainly not going to make the decision for you." His voice was edged.

"...I know."

"Well, while you're thinking about it," Leon said bitterly, "I'll be in class. Let me know when you come to a conclusion."

"No, Wait!" Cloud pleaded. He wanted to find a way to fix what he had done.

But Leon had already turned the corner they were approaching and left Cloud to mull over his decisions by himself.

* * *

Several hours later and back in the dorm room, Leon was attempting to read, but it never really worked out too well. Cloud hadn't come home yet—not that he was waiting for him at all—so he was left to toss and turn and flip barely read pages.

Defeated, he put the book back on the night stand and settled his hands underneath his pillow. The room seemed empty without Cloud, and even emptier when he was angry with him. Leon knew however that he really had no right to be angry at all. It was exactly as he had stated to Cloud earlier. He had no bars on who Cloud could and could not talk to. Unfortunately, that included Seifer, and no matter how much Leon hated him, there would be no place for him to interfere.

After all, Cloud and Seifer had been friends for quite a while, those ties wouldn't be easy to break. On the other hand, what about the promise Cloud had made to him? That shouldn't be easy to break either.

Placing a hand over his eyelids to drown out the gentle glow of the setting sun and the light of the lamp, Leon wondered dimly if he was just overreacting. That was a possibility. Cloud hadn't really done anything to warrant complete distrust...but what if things turned back to the way they were?

That thought alone made him sit up strait on the bed.

Things could easily shift back to the way they were post-settlement. All Seifer had to do was say the right words, and Cloud would go right back to the person Leon despised when he had first moved in. He would revert back to the old uncivilized, unruly, untempered delinquent that Leon had known for the majority of his life and would probably get progressively worse with more of Seifer's bad influence.

Leon had always known that Cloud was two steps away from dragging his knuckles, but at least he wasn't being influenced poorly anymore. But if Seifer stepped into the picture again, the loutish neanderthal could become devastating if manipulated with all of Seifer's venomous ill-whims. Of course Cloud was the perfect candidate because Leon and Seifer both knew that as nice as Cloud _could_ be he was extremely gullible, almost to the point of being pathetic.

In fact, Cloud was probably at Seifer's house right at this moment, talking to him about who knew what and he had more than likely already started the process of poisoning Cloud's poor, weak-willed mind and turning him into some villainous pawn...

Leon grunted and rubbed his eyes again. Now he was the one being pathetic. He should have stopped himself at the comparison of Cloud to a neanderthal. He had definitely surpassed the point of over analyzation and was reaching insanity. Cloud wasn't as bad as a gorilla, and his mind—though extremely unwary—wasn't as weak-willed as Leon had made it out to be, in fact, Cloud was a lot more righteous than most people knew.

Still, even with that thought in mind, Leon couldn't bring himself to be as sensible about Cloud as he wanted to be. Something harboring within him wouldn't let him let go of his anger and disappointment. Cloud had said he hadn't decided. What was there to decide on? Leon still felt bitter, even though he didn't want to be and knew it would take a bit more time before he would completely resolve himself.

Time however was up as Leon heard the click of the lock on the door and watched somewhat nervously as the doorknob turned.

Hurriedly, he snatched up the novel off the night stand and pretended to read it, just as Cloud walked in the door.

* * *

Phew, that's the end of Chapter four! I hope you enjoyed it! Sorry about the shortness...but I really have no control over these things. (Actually, you all know full well I have _complete_ control, but let's ignore that for now, eh? Hah!) Length goes as it comes and comes as it goes, so bear with me, I don't pride myself with inconsistency... Anyway, please review, I want to know the good, the bad and the misspelled (that's "Ugly" in my book!) See you soon!

Ja-ne


	5. Speak

Hello everyone, I'm back with a new installation. I hope you enjoy it. Sorry for the delay, as you know these things happen, but I'm glad you're still reading!

**Aquilla Strife-**As usual, I really enjoy your reviews and your new...vocabulary! Ha! Yes, Leon is very perceptive, I kinda like that about him. He sort of stood out that way to me in the game too.

**Hanae da Firefly**- Thanks for the review. I hope five pages is enough for you...it is for me, my hands are gonna come off... In any case, I'm glad you like it.

**XO'Magik Moon'OX-** Thank you for the review! At the convention, We were Geisha, attempting to be Kaoru from Rurouni Kenshin, however the kimonos we wore were different, so...hey. Ah, yes, the big revelation...it may occur soon...Thank you for noticing my error!

Alright, I own nothing but my humble plot!

* * *

Cloud stopped in the door way staring in a complete stupor, but only briefly before letting out a small sigh. Apparently he wasn't as well prepared as he had thought he was. His nerves were flaring up again, Cloud noted anxiously while placing his book-bag on the floor next to his bed. The air in the room wasn't particularly disquieted, but Cloud was having an awful fit trying to figure out what to do next. He kept shifting his eyes toward Leon—who appeared to be reading—and biting his lip while contemplating what he was going to say.

For the last few hours he had been sitting in the food court trying to figure out what to say to and do about the particular individual whom he couldn't even make eye contact with, at the present moment. Leon wanted a decision, perfectly understandable but seemingly impossible to reach.

He racked his brain the whole time he was in that food court, unable to make up his mind. It wasn't until he had gotten home and noticed the barely setting sun and the piercing red numbers on his digital clock that he realized how long he had been gone. He dimly remembered a custodian hovering about his table with a mop, but he was too deep in thought to really acknowledge his presence. So after hours of contemplation, what was his conclusion? It was simple...he would just have to wing it.

Leon observed Cloud angrily out of the corner of his eye, careful not to disclose that he was not reading at all. The last thing he wanted was for Cloud to find out he had spent the majority of his solitude thinking about him...

With a spark of impatience, he watched Cloud pace to one side of the room, fiddle with the pencils in the holder, pace back, sigh, scratch his head, fiddle with the notebooks on the table, pace again, sigh... The whole ordeal was almost maddening to watch. If Cloud didn't hurry up and _say_ something, Leon was going to lose his forbearance and snap, which would not be good for the show of mild ill-temperament he was trying to pull off.

Finally, Cloud straitened his throat, took a deep breath and jabbed at the air a bit with his fist. His mouth opened to say something, but as soon as he looked back at Leon, he froze, his eyes averted him completely and whatever he had planned to say was forever lost. With his motivation annihilated, he went right back to the nerve-pinching task of pacing about the room. This time however, he added opening and closing his mouth to start and restart sentences.

Leon bit the inside of his cheek. He thought for sure he was going to lose it now. He shifted a bit on the mattress and turned the page of his completely abandoned novel. There was no way a simple answer could possibly be that difficult... unless it was the one that he knew Leon wouldn't want to hear... His heart raced again.

He took a few deep breaths to calm himself. What did it matter to him if Cloud decided to return to Seifer like a faithful pup? It would probably be best for Leon in the long run, and he wouldn't have to deal with Cloud and his ridiculous stupidity. He could just go back to the way things were.

Though the words seemed calming in his head, Leon's heart hardened a bit. The cruel hand Cloud was about to deal him was making him bitter and angry. However much easier to accept than sadness, the cold sentiments he felt were unwanted and unavoidable. He just wished Cloud would hurry up and confirm his anxieties before he combusted.

Several minutes passed. Cloud really knew how to test his patience. Fighting back a sigh, Leon waited a few more minutes until Cloud at long last stopped pacing.

The battle within Cloud's mind ended with a raised white flag on both sides. He just had to jump in, after all that was part of winging it. He sat down at the edge of his bed facing Leon who was coated in the dull, golden glow of the lamp and inhaled deeply.

"Leon...I..."

But before Cloud could even finish his sentence, Leon slammed his book shut, stood and announced "I'm going for a walk."

Without skipping a beat, he walked over to the coat rack, and grabbed his coat.

Cloud sat flabbergasted. "...You are?"

"That's right." He pulled his arm into the sleeve.

"Right now?"

"Mmhm."

"But..."

Leon slipped his other arm in the other sleeve. He was so fed up by now that the sound of Cloud's voice nearly set him off. Leon was going to let Cloud sit and think about how angry he'd made him—however now he couldn't decide what he was angrier about: earlier's musings, or the stalling that nearly wore Leon's nerves to frayed, little wire-like shavings. He reached for his scarf. This walk was definitely going to be a long one.

Cloud, needless to say was a little bit shaken and at a loss for what to do. He had just worked so hard trying to come up with what to say, and after he had finally formulated an idea, Leon was about to walk out on him! Cloud was not about to have all that work go to waste.

"Fine," he said standing. He reached for his coat as well. "I'll go with you."

Leon stopped mid-button. "What?"

"I said, I'll go with you."

Leon's turn to stare, gaping. Company was indisputably not an option."But...why?"

Cloud adjusted his coat a bit. "Because I want to."

He frowned, "Well, don't I don't need you to follow me." He opened the door, just as Cloud finished buttoning his coat.

"Well, _I_ need me to follow you."

Leon didn't even pause to raise an eyebrow at his last comment, but instead focused on getting out of there. "Leave me alone." He stated, then briskly walked away. Cloud however was not to be lost as he followed steadily on Leon's heels.

* * *

"Stop following me!"

"No."

They had exited the dorms quite a while back. The distance traveled was unexpected. Cloud and Leon had now covered about a quarter of the campus, far longer a distance than he had wanted to go when by himself. Still, he continued on, with the somewhat fading hopes of losing his pursuer. Cloud was only a few steps behind him.

"I mean it Cloud! Go back home!" He shouted behind him.

"Not a chance!"

He rushed past the library and the gallery, his steps getting a bit sluggish, but Cloud managed to keep a steady pace.

"Cut it out!"

"I'm not leaving!"

The school building itself was insight now, as was the student resource center. Their shadows became more defined when the street lights began to come on.

"Can't you take a hint!"

"No thank you!"

* * *

Leon didn't even want to think about how long they had been out there. There was no one to blame but Cloud in all his relentless tenacity. With the amount of distance covered, it was certainly an extended time. The air was getting a bit nippy as they passed by the outdoor food court and the small garden that bordered it. The dim rays of the setting sun hardly made any difference at all in the temperature, but just provided a bit of light so Leon wouldn't run face first into the decorative trees in the courtyard, which they were now entering.

"Stop following me! I want to be left alone!"

"Forget it!"

Leon was really getting angry now. He had expected Cloud to give up way before this point, but he was keeping up as though they were attached. He stole a quick glance behind him. Cloud didn't look nearly as winded as Leon felt, but instead of the amused expression he had expected to see, Cloud's face was stern, touched with determination. His hands were shoved deep in his pockets, and he walked stiffly.

He looked up. They were standing on the cement walkway of the housing complex. The shortness of his breath and ache in his legs and feet confirmed it: They had just gone full circle around the campus.

"I don't believe you!" Leon shouted, turning around.

"And I don't believe you!" He closed the distance between them.

"Care to explain what you thought you were doing!"

"Hey, no one asked you to go over the entire campus!"

"No one asked you to follow me!"

"Argh, and it's freezing out here!" Cloud said ignoring that last comment. "Now we're both going to be sick and it's all you're fault!"

"My fault! How is it my fault! If you had just have gone home like I said, then we wouldn't be standing out here at all!"

"If you had have just stopped and listened to what I had to say, then I wouldn't have had to follow you!"

Leon rolled his eyes. "Oh really, you had something to say?"

"...Um...I suppose I did, yes!"

"Well, by all means, please share."

"I've made my decision."

Leon fought back a chortle. "Oh my, he's reached his decision!" His expression changed to a bitter scowl. "Well, Let's hear it. After all, you just might—"

Cloud grabbed Leon securely by the shoulders, and pulled him forward until Leon's balance was lost into Cloud's.

"Cloud...what are you...?"

He pressed their lips together firmly, squeezing his eyes shut and feeling Leon's shoulder's tighten up under his grip.

A door closed behind them. Cloud barely let go before he heard the voice that followed.

"Oh...I get it." The voice was unmistakable. He was standing right behind them, hand on his hip and his head cocked cooly to the side. It was Seifer.

Man, five pages... In any case, please review (I'm assuming you've read it if you're at the end.)


	6. With Narrow Eyes

Hello everyone! Let me begin by saying KINGDOM HEARTS II IS ONE OF THE BEST GAMES EVER! The graphics are so wonderful, Utada Hikaru does it again with her wonderful voice, and the plot is so twisty it's like tuning into General Hospital after missing it for the past month! I love it! Seifer even makes an appearance, so I don't feel so weird about putting him into a KH fic! Ah, life is good!

All right, we're winding down to the final stretch! Just a few more chapters left! (Thank goodness...) As for my wonderful reviewers, I really must say I appreciate your input, it makes the already enjoyable project of creating this thing even more thrilling. On with the thank you's! To anyone I've missed, I thank you as well.

**Hanae da Firefly-**Thankyou very much for your insight! Honestly, I'm not noticing any grammatical errors. Being one who can usually spot these things, I'm a bit baffled at your criticisms. I'm not saying you're wrong, but if you would include an example next time, fixing the problem would be a bit more doable. Paragraph spacing? Are you never satisfied? Hahaha! But seriously, I personally like the tight little cluster my spacings fall in, but I suppose to each his own! -

**Losthimagain**-Thank you for your review! Cloud has indeed taken the initiative. Bravo to him, ne? This story (as well as AcoV) has turned out more Shonen-Ai than Yaoi, but as long as the goal of finishing the whole story is reached, I'm very much satisfied!

**Lilitha**- Hello! Thank you for the review! I'm so glad you liked the chapter. As for Cloud's protectiveness, yeah, I rather like it too! Hmm, who will beat the crap out of Seifer? Maybe you'll find out in this chapter...

**Valkyrie Wilde-**Thankyou for the review! Is the story really that suspenseful? The idea to make Seifer the antagonist was a definite decision. From the first word in ACoV I knew it had to be him. I'm really glad you like it!

**Angstluver**- Hello there! Thank you for your response. Seifer does have a bad habit of ruining things, huh? Oh well, we must have conflict somewhere!

**Al-Bhed Thief**- Thank you for your review! I'm really glad you like my story so much!

Now that the thank-you's have been taken care of, let the story commence! I own nothing.

* * *

Cloud loosened his grip on Leon's shoulders and dropped his hands limply at his sides.

"...Ugh..."

"So..._that' s_ what this is all about..." Seifer deducted calmly with a hint of amusement that Cloud wasn't too fond of. Then his expression changed. "You...bastard."

"I..."

"Ha," he chuckled, showing all of his teeth. In the waning light he looked almost vulpine."I should have known. I should have _known_!"

Cloud's voice was caught in his throat. He didn't know what to say or do, but he was especially worried about Leon, whom he didn't need to look at to see the expression of blatant terror painted across his face. He could tell he wanted nothing more than to bolt, but his feet were firmly planted in cement shoes.

Seifer began to close the distance between them, slow and lax. The swagger in his step offered a hint of casualty, but the way Leon tensed up at the advancement suggested something dark and dangerous.

Instinctively, Cloud stepped forward, protectively standing front of Leon, but the advancement continued. With each step, he could hear Leon's breath getting quicker and shorter. He wanted to hold him again, to calm him, but Cloud figured that wouldn't help at the moment.

As he approached, Seifer's gaze shifted from Cloud to Leon. Cloud could easily hold his ground, but the single notice he made toward Leon was more than enough to break the cement holding his feet. Before Seifer had gotten a yard away, he was running.

"Leon! Wait!" Cloud shouted, without response. His figure disappeared into the darkness not reached by the street lights. He was gone. Cloud rubbed his eyes in frustration. There was no telling what Leon was feeling then, although Cloud couldn't entirely rule out fear. With the few—yet effective—events that had transpired over the past few minutes, he couldn't blame Leon for running off.

They hadn't really gotten a chance to talk, and with the accession of the kiss—which hadn't been intended as a repellant—and Seifer, there was no immediate evidence that he would even _see_ him again. In all his effort to make things better, Cloud may have aided in making things worse.

But then the sound of shuffling feet on the cobblestones brought Cloud back to what he was doing. Seifer was still standing in front of him, and the absence of Leon was not going to stop him from saying what he wanted to say.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Seifer started, with a bit more spite than curiosity. "I thought we were friends."

"We're not anymore."

"Obviously not." His voice was underscored with mockery. "But, what I'd like to know is...why you did this to us."

"Me? Sorry, but this was you."

"Bull." He spat. "You're the one who started hanging around with that pans—"

"I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't refer to Leon badly."

"What?"

"You heard what I said."

"Huh" He snorted. " You used to not care what I called him."

"Things change."

"Clearly so."

The wind blew around them as the sides paused to sum up the other. Cloud stood with an air of confidence. Before, when he had spoken to Seifer, he was timid, and a bit reluctant to tell him how he felt. Now though, with the strength of his anger and compassion he felt for Leon, he wasn't afraid to have the confrontation, but rather anxious to have the whole thing over and done with so he would be able to concentrate on the more important matter of his roommate.

Seifer was not so much fueled with confidence, but rather anger and jealousy—the latter of the two he was a bit reluctant to admit. He despised Cloud for throwing away their bond so comfortably, and even more so disgusted with the individual who caused him to do it. He had always known Cloud to be so easily swayed by other opinions. That was how he had gotten Cloud to do many of the deeds—good and bad—they had done back in their childhood. Seifer secretly liked having such an impact on a person.

Be it deciding his actions or changing his opinions and ideas Seifer had enjoyed it, and since Cloud could be manipulated without difficulty most of the time, he had plenty of opportunities to utilize his prowess. Now however, with the addition of Leon, his control was being reflected back at him, and of course, he didn't approve of it.

"Why?" He demanded.

"Why what?"

"Why him, huh? You must really hate me to go so low."

"I don't have to answer to you." Cloud said cooly.

"Anyone would have been better. _I _would have been better."

Unphased, Cloud replied, "I disagree."

* * *

In the sporadic breezes of the chilly night, Leon stood against a tree in the courtyard. He hadn't gone home, as he knew that would have been the first place Cloud would have gone had he been following him. However, since he had not, Leon was stuck in the dark, in the cold, and completely alone.

It was now that Leon almost wished that Cloud _had_ followed him. Although he would have appreciated his solitude earlier, now it was as unwelcome as Seifer's appearance, not fifteen minutes before. It wasn't so much out of loneliness that he wanted Cloud's presence, but more so because he wanted to interrogate him.

Not for a second had Leon forgotten about that kiss. He could still feel it on his lips, easily distinguished so because it was the only warm place in his entire physical being not yet attacked by the cold night. As if the thought were a summons, he was pelted with another icy breeze.

He pulled his coat tighter around himself. Had it not happened to him, he would have easily thought it was the climax to some romance novel missing only the leg flip, the white horse, and the unrealistically happy ending. However, unbelievable as it was, it had happened, and Leon hadn't found himself displeased.

He wanted to know why Cloud had kissed him; a reasonable question. Was it some feeling Cloud had kept hidden for all these months...or maybe years? Was it just some sporadic notion equivalent to the whims of the hero in that romance novel? Did Cloud know Seifer was standing there and do it to make him angry?

The wind whipped at his face again. He could hear pieces of conversation in the distance right near the dorms. Since he hadn't quite recuperated from earlier's chase, he hadn't gotten very far away, so if he strained his ears and if the wind wasn't blowing hard, then he could hear indistinguishable breaths of conversation. Though indistinguishable, it was unmistakably Cloud and Seifer going at it.

Earlier he would have thought the two were conspiring against him again—in fact, earlier he _did_ think that the two were conspiring against him. Now though, especially after the way Cloud was following him around after he specifically asked him to leave—not something one would normally associated with acts of kindness...but here it applied—and after that connotative kiss, Leon knew Cloud was someone he could trust.

He smiled to himself. It was time to head back to the dorms. Of course, unless he took the back way, he would run into Cloud and Seifer...not something he particularly wanted to do.

The back way then.

As he made his way across the grass, and Compiling all the thoughts together, he thought Cloud's reason for kissing him...

Though he would have liked to milk Cloud for it later on,

He didn't need a reason.

And the mental smile was on his lips.

* * *

"Listen to you!" Seifer was yelling now. "What you're saying is absolutely ridiculous!"

" Look, I don't have time for this... I have to go find—"

"You have to go find Leon, right? What, is he going to _die_ if you don't find him before the stroke of midnight?"

" Hey, shut up!"

"And then you're going to go crazy with guilt that you didn't fulfill your mission as the reliable prince?"

"I said shut up!"

"But no, you're better than that. You'll probably find him and live happily ever after."

"Hey! Would you give it a rest already? Just get over yourself and... stay away from me."

Seifer tilted his head back with exaggerated interest. Cloud was beginning to lose his composure, and he was curious as to how far he could push it. "Stay away from you? A short time ago, you couldn't stand to be _away_ from me. You wouldn't last long without me; you need me."

"Things have changed, as I said."

"...Yeah, well, I'm not sure I like the change." He stepped forward, now enough to see the blue of Cloud's eyes spark in annoyance.

"I don't really care if you like it or not." He was struggling now, to keep from losing control of himself. Seifer fed off of it.

"Yes you do. You _always_ care. Only now you just care about Leon."

"You have no idea."

"No, I don't. Why don't you tell me then?" His eyes narrowed. "What else have you two been up to?" He leaned forward a little, half expecting Cloud to step back. He didn't though. He was stiff with choler.

"Nothing that concerns you."

"Do I smell scandal?"

"I don't smell anything."

Seifer smirked, his eyes flickered with wickedness. He could feel that Cloud was seconds away from snapping. "I don't like what he's done to you. He's changed you. _I'll kill him._"

Then Cloud's eyes glowed a ferocity that Seifer was not at all used to seeing.

"You keep your filthy hands away from him, do you understand me! If you come near him ever again, I'll—"

He had gotten what he wanted, as unexpectedly shocking as it was, he had gotten a rise out of Cloud. Smiling deviously, he pressed on."You'll what?" Trying to hide his surprise at Cloud's outburst, he turned his face up in disgust. "Cloud, I never would have believed it. You've gone completely insane, and there's no help for you. Leon's taken over your pathetic little mind."

"Don't talk about my insanity until you look at yourself!" He spat

"I'm perfectly sane. I can see what that prick has done to you. Maybe I should kill him. Do you think his control over you will disappear?"

Cloud was shaking with rage now, barely able to keep himself from slugging Seifer right in the jaw. "I don't understand how you can talk about Leon without falling to the ground calling out in sorrow for your guilt! After what you've done to him I can't believe you have the gall to face him, me, or the world and not feel as though your wicked heart has been ripped from your body!"

Seifer raised an eyebrow. "Really?" He snorted, "And what have I done that's so much worse than what everyone else does to that son-of-a-bi–"

Cloud gripped Seifer's collar, his knuckles turning white. "You raped him, you sick bastard! You raped him and don't even remember it because you were too drunk to realize it!"

An anxious silence hung in the air. Seifer could feel Cloud's breath hitting his face and was momentarily fearful, but he wouldn't let Cloud see it. He stared into Cloud's furious eyes. The thrill of riling Cloud up was far too much to bear. As surprising as the news was, he couldn't control himself and carefully chanced a cocky grin.

"...So what?"

He watched with a mixture of interest and reverence as Cloud's eyes widened in bewilderment.

"What?"

"_So what?_" He gambled a chuckle. "I don't care. He deserved it then...if what you say is true." His eyes snaked with sinister amusement. The Appalled expression on Cloud's face, was almost irresistibly disporting. Seifer chuckled again, with increasing confidence. "I'm glad it was me. At least he's not so perfect now. I get the credit to defacing him. Thanks for telling me."

Cloud's eyes narrowed. He dropped one hand from Seifer's collar and brought it up to his chin. "I don't need you anymore...you're the one who obviously needs me."He brought his fist back, "...and as for Leon," He hissed "I don't even want to hear is _name_ in your voice."

With that, his fist connected to Seifer's face with a frightening crack and his had snapped backward. Cloud dropped him to the ground without so much as a snort and wiped the bit of blood from his knuckles. Seifer would wake up eventually, but at the moment he didn't care at all.

The important thing at that moment was to find Leon.

Ah, dramatic, ne? Please review!


	7. Brooding

Something interesting struck me today. Have any of you noticed that not ONCE in any of my stories has the sentence "I Love You" been uttered by any of the characters? That was intentional. I believe—not that you really have any reason to care about my opinion—that "I love you" makes things seem likea bubble-gum romance of some teeny-bopper highschool drama. Love should be expressed through actions. Most people—or so I've found—forget that, and think that the words are enough. It's used far too freely. Granted, there are a few cases in which the sentence is entirely appropriate (such as with a married couple/ soon to be weds), but here (at least in these two stories), I don't think it's necessary. I also can't stand it when the words "Boyfriend/girlfriend/lover" are added to describe a person. It has the same feel as said teeny-bopper highschool drama, and quite frankly, it irks me. Again, not that you have any reason to care, I was just...I don't know. To each his own I suppose!

**Al-Bhed Theif**- Thank you very much for your review. Yeah, I thought it would be too messy to have him actually feel bad. That kind of stuff sometimes turns out corny anyway!

**AquilaStrife**- Thank you for the review. I'm glad you liked it. I'm sorry about your lack of KH2. I really hate to do this, but...IT IS A KILLER GAME! THE GRAPHICS ARE AMAZING! The FMV graphics are indeed as good as—if not better than—the trailer too. To me, the only problem is that the plot is a little hard to follow, and it's pretty short considering. (Not that I've beaten it yet...) Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get it soon!

**Losthimagain**- Thank you so much! That question occurred to me as well, after all it's not very KH if Riku and Sora aren't in it. Originally I was going to, but I think it's a bit late for that. Oh well.

**XO'MagickMoon'OX**- Thanks for the review! You don't like how Seifer was portrayed? I thought it was pretty funny. Hah! I really enjoyed writing the argument scene, so I'm glad it came out well. I agree. It would have been a mite corny if Seifer had felt guilty. I wanted to try something different! Also, I didn't know there was such a problem with update alerts. I may have to go check out mine as well. Thanks for the heads up!

**Angstluver- **Thank you very much for your thoughts! I hope you enjoy the next chapter as well!

Man, that was long, but a process that was necessary. I really appreciate the reviews, so do keep them coming! On with the story! I own nothing!

* * *

The chilly wind flipped the lapels of Cloud's jacket up around his face. He snorted in annoyance at both the cold and his slightly aching fist. Neither of the issues were important at the moment though. Leon was.

Seifer lay crumpled at his feet and a little blood dripped from his nose. Without even acknowledging him, Cloud looked skyward. He faintly remembered watching Leon running off to his right. Behind him stood the dorm room, so there wasn't a possibility he had returned home without Cloud noticing it (at least not through that door). That probably meant Leon was still roaming around outside.

Almost immediately he wanted to punch himself in the face. How could he have left Leon alone to wander around the campus? It was dark, and cold, and... there were far too many possibilities as to what could have happened to him. His demeanor flipping completely around, Cloud instantly changed from the previous dark and strong body guard to the worried and frantic mother hen. He abandoned Seifer's body in search of his roommate.

Just passing the library and gallery, Cloud dimly noted that there were hundreds of places that Leon could have been. It was dark and the shadows that hung over nearly everything provided even more cover for those who didn't want to be found. It was Leon's determination against his. Who would surrender first?

The cold was a very important factor, even more so than the late night and danger of stalking around in the dark. His hands were still quite cold, even with them shoved deep into his pockets. As thin as Leon was, it would take no time at all for the air to chill him to the bone. Inevitably he would catch a cold, and inevitably he would blame Cloud for it.

Quickening his pace, Cloud scanned the area as best he could. With the number of buildings alone, the possibilities were endless, but with the addition of night, the whole search was nearly impossible. The dark silhouettes of the trees licked up the side of the building, mocking his worry and snickering at his advancement through the frigid night. Still, he checked each side of both buildings and nearly every nook and cranny visible. Leon wasn't anywhere to be found.

Reluctantly, he pressed on, dimly wondering if there was some place in the area that he had forgotten. Turning the corner of the walkway, he could hear the low buzz of the street lights above. The dim light did little to aid his cause, but at least he wasn't stumbling around in complete darkness. One of the school buildings was in sight, as was the student resource center.

First, he tried the doors. He hoped that Leon might have gone inside to warm up. That thought alone put Cloud's mind at rest. Giving the handles a quick rattle, he discovered that the doors were locked. Well, at the very least, he had eliminated a few hiding spots. With no time to appreciate the elimination, he hurried on to the next section of the campus: the court yard.

* * *

Leaning back against the cool ceramic of the bathtub, Leon was deep in thought. Upon returning home a while ago, he had decided to take a bath to relax his mind and dissolve some of the chills from running around outside. The warm and lightly fragrant water did little to relax him however, because his mixed feelings and thoughts about Cloud were yet to be dealt with.

He sank lower into the water.

Cloud hadn't returned home, giving him a while to brood in solitude, but the want to have him near again was a little distracting. He wanted to question him about Seifer, talk to him, but moreover, he just wanted to make sure he was okay. It was strange. They had only been apart for a short time, but already, Leon was beginning to miss him.

Why did he miss him so much? He looked toward the ceiling thoughtfully. Cloud had been what Leon would have considered to be unreasonably kind for quite a while. (Well, unreasonable for Cloud anyway.) He had done everything from walking him to class, to coming in quietly just in case Leon was trying to study or—depending on the hour—sleep.

Now as he was sitting in the tub musing, he smiled at how peculiar it made him feel. It was a bit strange feeling so well thought of. It was exciting, and flattering and endearing all at the same time. After all, the majority of his life had been spent as the object of mockery. In fact, up until a few months ago, Leon had thought Cloud was the epicenter to all his misery. Now though, with a few adjustments to their dorm life, a compromise or two and a little thoughtfulness, Cloud had changed it all, and the change was... lovely.

As great as the niceties were, surely that alone wasn't the reason. Maybe it was just Cloud's presence that made him feel so happy. That had to be it. Without really noticing it up until now, Leon had always enjoyed the time that they had spent together, even thought quite a bit of the times had been spent locked into a disagreement. Some of the times when he was alone in the hallway, he would inadvertently glance over his shoulder, expecting to see Cloud running up behind him.

Then there were the instances that had occurred recently. Cloud had kissed him—an act of affection all by itself—and then once Seifer had shown up, he had protected him with a passion that Leon found exceptionally flattering. His face flushed in remembrance. Cloud could be perfectly wonderful when he wanted to be.

Sighing in contentment and feeling that the water was beginning to lose some of its heat, he found the lever with his foot, pushed it up and let the tub drain. Wherever Cloud was at the present moment, he hoped he would return soon.

As he watched the last of the water swirl down the drain, a thought occurred to him. Cloud had been gone for quite some time. Leon recalled the time he himself had spent outside thinking, and then adding in the time it had taken for him to finish his bath. Added together, that was quite a time span. Where on earth was he? Surely Cloud wouldn't be out there looking for him...would he?

Hopping up, he grabbed the towel on the rack and quickly dried himself off. There was simply no way. Surely Cloud would think he had sense enough to come home from the cold autumn night! His face flushed again, this time from embarrassment.

Cloud had actually never seen him return, after all he took the back way into the dormitory to avoid watching Cloud and Seifer argue. All this time, he had been taking a nice warm bath and Cloud was probably miserable wandering about the campus.

By now Cloud was fueled with the desire to hurry home as well as the initial cause of finding Leon. It was getting colder, and he could feel it. His fingers were going num, his face was freezing, and he was getting just the slightest bit tired of seeing his breath come out in puffs. He had checked the court yard twice before deciding that Leon was definitely not there. That certainly took a lot of time since the majority of the plant life consisted of bushes and small trees...which meant more places to look. The whole venture was getting discouraging. When Leon didn't want to be found, he wasn't going to be found.

He stared at the sky in frustration. The moon was full and luminous. It was time to give up the search, and time to return home.

Leon had just finished dressing, and was searching around the room for his door key. When he was in a hurry, he tended to get flustered, making the search far more difficult than it needed to be. Glancing to his side though, he noticed it sitting in an extremely obvious spot on his dresser. He really hoped his search for Cloud wouldn't be as ridiculous.

Snatching up the key, he rushed to the door. Wherever Cloud was, he hoped he was alright. He threw open the door however finding himself struck. He was just in time to see Cloud, standing there fishing around in his pocket for his own key.

Cloud looked up from his pocket and realized that Leon—the one whom he had been searching for during the past half an hour—was standing in the doorway with a look of quizzical shock splayed across his face. Instead of first thinking how dense he had been for not looking in the dorm in the first place, Cloud's primary thought was how glad he was to see that he was alright.

Without even thinking, he pulled Leon into him hugging his roommate warmly.

"Man, am I glad to see you're okay."

Leon's face flushed a bright pink. His arms were stiff. "Um...thanks. Glad...to see you're...um... okay too." He tried to smile, but the burning sensation in his face wouldn't permit him to do so properly.

Then it suddenly became silent—uncomfortably so—and Cloud's face flushed as well. Now that he was standing there with his arms wrapped around Leon—something he had done again without really thinking—he wasn't exactly sure what to do next. Quickly he dropped his arms to his sides and chuckled nervously.

They stared at each other in silence until Leon said quietly, "Um...why don't you...come in and...um...warm up?"

Cloud nodded and followed him into the dorm. It was indeed much warmer than it was outside.

"So..." He began. "You've been here the whole time?"

"Um...well, I've been here for a while." Leon said nervously while adjusting the thermostat that they both knew had been broken for a while. "I...didn't know you were looking for me."

"Ahem...well...I mean... you know..." Cloud peeled off his coat and put it on the hanger.

"...Yeah. That was...um...awfully nice of you."

"It's nothing."

Now they both sat down on their beds facing each other, not making the conversing any easier since they could both see each other clearly. It was quiet again. Leon looked at his hands on his knees, and Cloud looked at his bed spread trying to come up with something to say. Then he had it.

"You...smell nice!" He said with a grin. Suddenly he realized how weird that sounded and tried to cover his embarrassment with a fit of coughs.

Leon's face turned bright red and it spread to his ears. "I...had a bath earlier." He inclined his head to the bathroom. "Um...you can use it...if you want to. It'll help you...um...warm up?"

"Oh...n-no thank you. I'm...er...fine."

Just as expected, the uncomfortable silence filled in the room. Cloud was embarrassed about so forcefully hugging Leon at the door, and Leon was embarrassed because Cloud had been looking for him in the cold when he was actually in the dorm. Cloud mistook Leon's embarrassment for fear and figured he had made him uncomfortable, and Leon became even more embarrassed at Cloud's increasing rate of embarrassment. They were feeding off each other.

Leon couldn't take the silence, so he asked the question he had intended to ask anyway. "So...um...what happened?"

"You mean after you Left?"

Leon nodded.

Cloud saw the opportunity to rid them of the silence. He stood up nervously and began to speak. "Well..." He was getting skittish again. That meant he had to start pacing, pacing and ranting. He marched back and forth across the floor blathering on in nervousness, sometimes repeating himself but never stumbling over words.

Leon watched in amazement as Cloud went on and on. He probably wasn't even thinking about what he was saying, he was just talking. Much of it he didn't understand, no matter how smoothly Cloud spoke, but he did catch a few interesting pieces. Poor Cloud's face was turning shades of red Leon had never seen on another human being, and the way he jabbed his fist in the air at times made Leon think he was going to start a governmental revolution.

Cloud was trying not to act nervous alright, but it was all coming out in his speech. Had Leon not been so jittery himself, he really would have enjoyed watching Cloud go off on a tangent. Slowly though, Cloud's voice began to meld evenly. His words started to come together into complete thoughts as he recounted events from the last hour or so. The pacing hadn't recessed at all though.

Leon kept his eyes glued to his hands, as he listened. He nodded now and then to ensure Cloud he was paying full attention, but he mainly stayed still. There were things he wanted to say to Cloud. The thoughts he had conjured up earlier while musing in the bath needed to be put to words, he thought. But then he heard Cloud's feet stop pacing the floor. He looked up. Cloud's eyes were fiery and dauntless.

"...and then I decked the bastard."

Leon gaped suddenly. "You hit him?" He asked, not finding himself as upset as he would have thought. Cloud shrugged lightly in affirmation.

And then they were silent again. Leon bit the inside of his cheek. Cloud seemed to relax a bit more, but then he noticed the disquietude of thoughtfulness manifesting around his roommate. Leon was thinking again, but what about, Cloud was lost.

Leon was searching for the right way to begin. He had so many things to say, his heart was throbbing with the need to get them out. Formulating his feelings into words however was difficult. He was saddened by his own inability to speak.

Cloud tipped his head to the side, eying Leon with curiosity and concern. "Are you okay?" He asked stepping forward. The coy yet strained expression of his face did something to his heart. It was rapidly pounding at his rib-cage with a ferocity that threatened to split his chest open. He wanted to hold this delicate entity in front of him. He wanted to feel it's beauty in his hands and envelope himself with the feeling of warmheartedness congenital to holding fragile works of art.

Gently, he placed his hands on Leon's shoulders. "Hey," He spoke in a voice thickly covered with concern. "What's the matter?"

Leon looked up with a start. His hands were wringing together in his lap. He could see the blue flicker in Cloud's eyes. They were fair with the effervesce of quartz glass.

His thumbs softly caressed the skin of his neck, and Leon's breath caught in his throat.

"Leon," Cloud said gently. His finger tips followed the angle of his jawbone to the softly glowing pink in his cheeks.

Leon finally mustered up enough courage to speak."Cloud..." He breathed just above a whisper. "Earlier today...you...kissed me."

Cloud looked shameful for a moment, his face flushed lightly. "Oh...um...right."

"Did you mean it?"

"Did...did I mean what?"

"Did you mean to kiss me...or...was it an accident?"

"I..." His face was burning now, like the color of blooming roses. "I...did," he decided with a sigh. "I did...and I'm sorry if I was out of line. I just..." Cloud let his sentence drop.

"I see." The ends of his lips tugged into a bit of a smile. "Cloud?"

"Yeah?"

"I...I want you to kiss me again."

"What?" His mouth hung agape.

Leon continued. "I...I like how it feels. I like how it feels with you."

Cloud looked into his eyes intently, they shimmered with an aqueous beauty.

So Cloud dipped his head downward. Their lips touched and they were kissing and he could taste the breath held in Leon's throat.

Leon pulled away slowly, his lips quivering in excitement and curiosity.

"What...now?"

Cloud smiled down at him with deep affection. "We'll figure something out."

* * *

Goodness! One more chapter to go! Please review—assuming of course that you've read—and you have my thanks! 


	8. Closed

Hello everyone! The final chapter has arrived, and I must say: "OODALOLLY I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!" For the final chapter, I wanted to end things on a lighter note, but still within the same tone of the rest of my...creation. Thank you all for reading thus far, and I do hope the eighth and final chapter of "Of Paths to Repentance" holds up to your expectations!

**AquilaStrife**-Thank you so much for your review. I'm so sorry you don't have it yet. Patience is a virtue? Yeah. I really do believe that 'I Love You' stuff. I mean, unless you're like...married, or are going to be, or are dating for like three years (in which case you _should_ be married) then...just leave it alone. I'm really glad you like it!

**animegirl999**-Thank you for the compliment! I'm glad you like my writing style. It makes me smile!

**Shadow Cat 17**-I appreciate your review, and thank you so much for the compliment! As this is the final chapter, I hope the ending is satisfactory. It feels good to be finished...for now.

**Angstluver**- You're very welcome. I think it's important to respond to reviews. Please enjoy the final chapter!

**Losthimagain**-Thanks for the review! Sorry, no Riku or Sora, but I'll read your story when it's posted, alright? You've sparked my interest! Hm...do you really think Leon's the Uke? Maybe he's a closet Seme! Nah...

Okay, now I'm that I'm finished with that, on with the final Chapter! punches fist in air

Disclaimer: I don't own KH.

* * *

Seifer's nose was most definitely broken. Though—through a colossal effort on his part—the swelling had decreased, the distinct empurpled extremity was still a complete embarrassment for the rest of his face.

Many students had seen him vainly poking at it in the mirror in the restroom before classes until he was somewhat satisfied with it's shape and obliviousness...or lack there of.

But the fact remained.

Seifer's nose was most definitely broken.

He exited the bathroom. His demeanor had changed as well. He had always been one to walk down the halls with an air of coolness and prowess. His shoulders were straight and his posture was that of a lion, mentally noting the status of his pride. However...

With his new nasal imperfection, he more or less hunkered down the hall with the virulent temper of said lion, ready to bite the head off anyone who had an airy word or comment. In fact, his jaw was clenched in a standard scowl every time he went anywhere as a sort of warning signal.

The scowl intensified to anyone who dared to cross him.

But the scowl became almost deadly whenever he happened by Cloud or Leon.

Such a reaction was to be expected, as Cloud was the direct cause of his damaged face, but Seifer didn't like the way _Cloud _responded when the death stare was flashed in his direction.

Cloud—as he noticed—was most often near Leon. Be it class, lunch, or even the evening return to the dorms, they were together.

Seifer had done his best for the first few days to stay away from the two, because as proud and chesty as he was, he was still the victim of Cloud's pestilent wrath and didn't necessarily want to have his nose broken again.

However, after those first few days, Seifer's superbia had returned—though as bruised as his nose—and he was bold enough to at least enter the vicinity of the pair as they walked down the school hallways. At the sight, his temper was raging.

Normally he would have gone right over to start trouble, but then the dull pain in his nose would flare up and he'd stop himself from committing the almost self-inflicted injury of getting on Cloud's bad side.

But then Cloud would just happen to look over his shoulder and acknowledge him with nothing more than a passing glance, as if he was just some random student on his way to class. He didn't smirk, frown, or...run (the reaction Seifer was hoping for) but moseyed on down the hall continuing his conversation with Leon.

That was what infuriated Seifer the most: Cloud's lack of reaction. At the very least, he would have expected Cloud to boast a little, maybe even start a few wild stories around the campus as to how he had all but shattered the nasal bone of the school's most prideful and narcissistic member of the student body.

But no. Only Cloud and he—and possibly Leon—actually knew about how he obtained the broken nose. To others, he could smooth it over with a: "Hey, you should have seen the other guy," or if Cloud happened to be walking by or on the rare occasion when he was feeling modest: "I...didn't see the door."

Cloud always had the opportunity to release the truth. If he was feeling mischievous or particularly resentful that day he could easily destroy Seifer's reputation with three simple words: "I punched him," and that would be it.

Sometimes Seifer just wanted him to spill the beans, after all, Cloud would lose all power over him, and Seifer would be free to _discreetly_ carry out his vengeance...but no.

Cloud was too good for that. He was too good for _him_. There would be no such aphorisms or wry comments on Seifer's defeat because Cloud simply did not care. Quite clearly, Cloud didn't need him anymore. With his silence, he was the master, all while Seifer was forced to scuttle around with the grandeur of an aphid.

The two had finally split into their separate paths in life, but Seifer was having a bit of trouble coping.

It had taken a while, but he was finally able to admit—at least a little—that he missed his childhood friend. He missed the days when Cloud had done anything that Seifer suggested with little to no hesitance. He missed easily batting away Cloud's protests of a small infraction in moral code.

Now he was changing. Cloud had grown a stronger will. Unfortunately, that will included _not_ being bossed around by Seifer.

Seifer clenched his fists in anger.

He really wanted to get back at Cloud.

He wanted to get him for those infuriating side glances, the humiliation he had to suffer in the eyes of his peers, for holding Seifer prisoner like a rabbit in a snare and—quite recently thought up—for the time wasted to the attention to his own nose-related vanity.

But then the constant throbbing of his damaged facial appendage would remind him to ignore all possible thoughts for revenge. Though he still wasn't entirely convinced that Cloud was _physically_ stronger than he—after all, he was probably just caught up in the heat of the moment...probably...—he was still a bit reluctant to tackle him head on.

The alternate route was to go after Leon...

He had quickly erased that thought from his mind.

He would never go after Leon.

Why?

Because though he despised Leon indefinitely, he was not the main cause to all of his internal misery.

Because involving other members in his retaliation towards Cloud would most certainly result in unwanted rumors and would increase the probability of him getting caught.

Because the age of fly-by-night death threats was over, and though indirectly given, Cloud wouldn't hesitate for a second to carry it out.

He shuffled down the hallway like a defeated warrior.

He remembered Cloud remarking bitterly on that alleged rape as well. To be perfectly honest, he really hadn't even given it much thought.

It didn't really bother him, and it didn't really make him sadistically jubilant either. The whole event—which he of course never remembered being a part of—was about as important to him as scratching his leg.

So, here he was now, taking the usual trip down the hall to classes, hating Cloud and despising the position he had put him in...and getting nowhere with his thoughts.

Seifer turned the corner, only to see another wave of curious inquirers asking about his nose. Offhandedly grumbling in their direction, he then noticed the so loathed blonde chatting casually with Leon—whom he wasn't particularly happy to see either.

He would save confrontation for another day.

He turned the corner before Cloud could even see him.

* * *

"Just get something in the morning," Leon said sympathetically as he slipped his legs under the sheets of his bed.

"But...I really am hungry." Cloud whined.

"I'm turning out the light."

"Fine."

The dim glow of the night stand light vanished and Leon re-situated himself underneath the sheets.

"I hate to bring this up, but I really thought I saw Seifer staring daggers at you earlier." Leon said quietly. A recent addition to their nightly rituals, Cloud and Leon would spend a while talking to each other. Usually it was nothing more than the day's events with personal opinions thrown here or there, but sometimes their talks lasted far into the night.

"Ugh," Cloud snorted. "Let him stare. I don't want you to even _think_ about him."

"He's kind of hard not to think about."

"I know." Cloud said with a hint of sadness. "But I promise you, it will pass."

"I guess so."

Then Cloud grinned. "Did you happen to notice my handy work?"

Leon chuckled softly. "I did. Very nice."

"Well, I thought so."

"Mmm." Leon's eyes closed in felicity.

Cloud reached over the gap between their beds and took hold of the hand Leon rested next to his face. It was a bit of a stretch, but their hands dangled between them comfortably so.

"I won't let him touch you." Cloud said stroking the soft skin of Leon's palm.

"I know," Leon smiled, returning the affectionate touch by lacing their fingers together. "You're kicking reason in the teeth."

"Ha, maybe so." A tranquil silence fell between the two as they held hands between the beds. Then their eyelids became heavy in the passing minutes.

"Mmm." Leon hummed, reluctantly retracting his hand. "Goodnight Cloud."

Cloud yawned, retracting his hand as well. "Goodnight."

* * *

The end. I'm very pleased. I thought it would be nice to end things with a Seifer-centric chapter since he really isn't emotionally attached to the story the way Leon and Cloud are.

And now, I must confess:

Though I told myself I wouldn't, I couldn't stand it anymore and had to continue writing...typing. In fact, I was so excited (ignoring myself) that I'd written the first chapter to my next story without even starting the last chapter—which happens to be this—to "Of Paths to Repentance." I really dislike doing things so scatter-minded.

So, I've decided to tackle the possibility of carpal tunnel and brain lesions from staring at this computer screen (goodness knows I get side tracked) because far be it from me to watch _television _on my Saturday mornings. I've thrown reason to the wind with reckless abandon! T-T

Story three (However not necessarily a sequel...maybe.) will be up soon. I'm gonna let "A Curtain of Violet" and "Of Paths to Repentance" marinate in your brains for a while.

Please Review!


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